A telecommunications network, such as a radio access network and core network, contains numerous network devices, such as telecommunication devices, from possibly numerous device manufacturers. Typically, each network device has an Operation and Maintenance (O&M) component that allows users (e.g., the network operators) to maintain and configure the network device. Some network devices come with simple O&M functionality, and some with more complex or “dangerous” functionality (i.e., all possible “changes” allowed). An example of a “dangerous” function is an open Linux shell with which users can make numerous changes and even inadvertently change OS parameters and hence, cause an outage. In most cases, each network device has an O&M component that was created by the manufacturer of the device. Thus, it is possible that many of the network devices within a communication network have different O&M components that operate and function differently.
Network operators all around the world are looking for O&M solutions from equipment manufacturers that are easy to maintain and operate. With networks getting more and more complex, serviceability and operability of products and solutions are taking center stage. Network operators do not desire to retain teams of high competent O&M resources because that is not their focus area, and they are happy to pass on complex technical issues to the equipment manufacturers. However, the daily operation of the network devices and their maintenance (e.g., backup/upgrade/update/configuration/performance audits, etc.) are usually performed by network operators themselves.
Network operators are looking for simple, general, and low cost solutions in this area. A general solution may be a solution that works for each of a network operator's network devices from all vendors. For example, a general solution may be a single O&M platform for Ericsson, Alcatel-Lucent (ALU), Huawei, Nokia-Solutions and Networks (NSN) covering all or most of their products or solutions. In absence of such solutions, a network operator who has equipment from multiple vendors in multiple technology areas (e.g., RAN, Core, IN, 2G, 3G, 4G, MPBN, etc.) needs to have a team of O&M engineers having competence in each of these different types of vendor equipment and technology, which is clearly not cost effective.
Network device manufacturers are also investing more in their research and development organizations to develop “easy-to-maintain” network devices, which is time consuming as well as cost intensive. In addition to these disadvantages, even if the equipment manufacturers manage to provide “easy-to-maintain” solutions, which are very difficult to accomplish, the network operators will still have difficulty in handling different tools for different network devices from different vendors.
In today's telecommunication networks, telecommunication network operators have different telecommunication devices belonging to different platforms and from different equipment manufacturers. The sheer number of such telecommunication devices is quite substantial. As described above, each of these different telecommunication devices may have its own unique O&M mechanism. The equipment manufacturers can try to provide an “easy-to-maintain” solution, but even these “easy-to-maintain” solutions in most cases would be unique or non-generic, which is problematic for network operators.
For example, discrete O&M solutions for different network devices are usually device based (i.e., each make of device having a unique O&M mechanism). Accordingly, network operators have difficulty managing O&M solutions based on the sheer amount of network devices managed by the network operators. Furthermore, equipment manufacturers are burdened with the additional time and cost of development and maintenance for “easy-to-maintain” O&M solutions (usually this is of the lowest priority).
Moreover, network operators have additional cost for retaining a team of O&M engineers having and/or developing knowledge in each of these discrete O&M solutions of the products/solutions the network operator owns. Furthermore, O&M engineers of network operators or of various lower-level after-sale support organizations in the equipment manufacturers need to have knowledge of each of these different O&M solutions, which also has a cost overhead by virtue of training and development. Additionally, Multi-Vendor Managed Services (MVMS), which is a very important solution in services portfolio of several telecom players are having difficulty in providing support and O&M services to the equipment of different vendors for the same reason.